Best panettone for Christmas 2026, taste-tested by a food writer

Kate Ng reviews the best classic Italian Christmas desserts from supermarkets to Selfridges The Standard's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.The Italian classic panettone has seen a huge surge in popularity in recent yearsKate Ng/The StandardWhether you love them or hate them, Christmas desserts are an essential part of festivities. While Christmas cake and Christmas pudding remain the traditional kings of the dessert table, the Italian classic panettone has seen a huge surge in popularity in recent years. In 2023, Waitrose said panettone was even outselling Christmas pudding, while last year, Selfridges said it expected to sell three times more panettone compared to the year before. Personally, I prefer panettone. It’s much lighter than Christmas pudding or cake, and I love the citrusy flavours. The texture is fluffy yet moist, and even when it’s gone a bit stale, you can have it with custard or (more) butter, or make bread and better pudding with it – all good things. But this wasn’t always the case. I, like many others, thought panettone was dry and uninspiring without the fanfare that comes with a flaming Christmas pudding or the decorations on Christmas cake.Best panettones at a glance Best overall – Sous Chef Tradizionale Panettone: £28.99 Souschef.co.ukBest supermarket panettone – Sainsbury’s Cherry & Amaretto Panettone: £12, Sainsburys.co.ukBest traditional panettone – Waitrose Angela Hartnett Panettone: £20.00, Waitrose.comBest flavoured panettone – M&S Collection Chocolate & Stem Ginger Panettone: £20.00, Ocado.com Best showstopper – Gail’s Classic Sourdough Panettone: £25.00, Ocado.comThen one Christmas, I was introduced to a most wonderful panettone that hit all the right notes. It was fluffy but moist enough that when you press the bread between your fingers, it squishes together most satisfyingly. It was deeply enriched, the outside a beautiful burnished brown while the inside was a warm yellow, clearly laden with egg yolks and butter. The dried fruits were juicy and sweet. A really good panettone is moreish and unclaggy, and won’t leave you feeling heavy or like you need a nap.So when I got the chance to test the best panettones of 2026, I was thrilled. I inspected, sliced and munched my way through over 20 panettones from the big supermarkets and high-end retailers to bring you the moistest, fluffiest, eggiest breads to enjoy this Christmas.How I testedKate NgAt its best, panettone is an enriched bread that goes through a complex, multi-stage fermentation process and is made with plenty of butter and egg yolks. The ideal panettone has a browned dome that rises above its paper baking case, and its texture should be light and fluffy, easy to pull apart and leaving few crumbs. It has a distinct aroma that blends citrus notes with vanilla, and should have an even distribution of dried fruit such as candied lemon or orange and sultanas – these are traditional, but modern variations can include anything from cherries, chocolate chips, stem ginger, pistachios, curds and caramels, and more. Keeping all this in mind, I tested each panettone based on appearance and the structure of the bread within, determining its richness according to how moist or crumbly it was. I also tested each panettone for flavour I wanted plenty of zesty yet rounded flavours in a traditional panettone with a good amount of dried fruit for traditional panettones, while non-traditional panettones had to display harmony between the different flavours and ingredients.Sous Chef Tradizionale Panettone Kate Ng/The Standard★★★★★Best: Overall panettoneWhat we love: Beautifully packaged and a delicious, artisan panettoneTake note: Difficult to re-package once openedI was blown away by this panettone, which would make a beautiful gift in its vibrant wrapping paper and bright ribbon. Top tip: The sticker on the bottom peels off cleanly if you are careful. The ones who get it, get it. But back to the panettone, which is wide rather than tall, burnished brown and, boy, is it hefty. At 1kg, it’s fairly standard in weight, but clearly a beast of a bread. Large chunks of fruit are visible from the outset and, despite its density, the bread is soft and fluffy, without dryness or stray crumbs. It pulls apart beautifully and squishes together satisfyingly when pressed.Loaded with raisins and candied citrus peels, it’s tender and sweet – perhaps less of a hit with dried fruit haters, but perfect for everyone else. The bread is sweetly scented but subtly flavoured, and you feel like you could eat the whole thing in one sitting. It’s so rich, though, that a single (but chunky) slice will satisfy. According to Sous Chef, it’s made by a family of bakers in northern Italy using a closely guarded “mother yeast”: a wild sourdough culture that leavens the bread, giving it its signature rise and fluffiness. Sous Chef is known for sourcing extraordinary ingredients and products, and it has done so again with this triumph of a panettone, which costs under £30 and is worth every penny.Weight: 1kgOrigin: ItalyDried fruit? YesSainsbury’s Cherry & Amaretto PanettoneKate Ng/The Standard★★★★☆Best: Supermarket panettoneWhat we love: Brimming with boozy cherries, studded with whole and sliced almonds, so very impressive in appearanceTake note: Contains alcohol and may be too sweet for someI was feeling a little disappointed by Sainsbury’s offerings in the panettone department until this one landed on my plate (I’m sorry to report that both the Classic and Chocolate and Hazelnut options are too dry to recommend). But this Cherry and Amaretto Panettone is genuinely impressive. It’s wide rather than tall but hefty, and is covered in both whole and sliced almonds. Upon slicing into it, I discovered treasures in the form of juicy, candied cherries and ribbons of cherry and amaretto sauce running through the bread. Strong amaretto flavours are proudly on display here, and while the ingredients don’t specify that the cherries have been soaked in the almond liqueur, they certainly taste as if they did!I loved that the bread was fluffy and bouncy despite being packed with so much filling, and while the panettone is quite sweet, I felt it was balanced thanks to the alcohol and the nuts. It may yet draw comments about being too sweet, but apart from that, I think it’s a very fine panettone indeed.Weight: 800gOrigin: ItalyDried fruit? YesWaitrose Angela Hartnett PanettoneKate Ng/The Standard★★★★★Best: Traditional panettoneWhat we love: Pretty pink tin that makes a nice keepsake, great texture and sweet, juicy fruitsTake note: Goes out of stock oftenI had high expectations for this panettone from Angela Hartnett’s collaboration range with Waitrose, and it does not disappoint in the slightest. The baby pink tin is a real treat – it’s not so festive that it can’t be put on display all year round, but it definitely has a sense of occasion about it and would make for a beautiful gift, whether for a loved one or yourself. The panettone itself has a beautiful rounded dome, rising tall above its paper casing, with a golden-brown colour. It fills the room immediately with its citrusy aroma that is warm and inviting. Inside, the bread is a gorgeous yellow colour, indicative of a high egg yolk content, and the texture is fluffy to the point of being almost bouncy, yet still holding plenty of moisture. There’ll be no dry mouths here! It does contain alcohol from the use of white wine from the Italian town of Breganze, but any alcoholic flavour is balanced with the rich, honeyed bread. Raisins and candied orange zest are studded throughout and are sweet and juicy. A delight to eat and share.Weight: 750gOrigin: ItalyDried fruit? YesM&S Classic PanettoneKate Ng/The Standard★★★★☆Best: Value buy traditional panettoneWhat we love: Budget-friendly yet luxurious, comes in a chic boxTake note: A little dryM&S is back with yet another hit in the form of this Classic Panettone, which ticks all the right boxes. It comes in an adorable baby blue box that is tres chic and festive – the pastel colours continue throughout its line of panettones this year, which includes Cranberry and Orange and Double Chocolate. Their traditional panettone has a handsome rounded dome and a lovely, toasty brown colour dotted with plump sultanas made juicier by soaking in grape juice, as well as vibrant candied Sicilian orange and citron peel. Texture-wise, it is a little crumblier than expected but still has a good, fluffy texture that is light yet moist, making it very tearable. Plenty of fruit is found throughout the entire panettone, which has a deliciously zesty aroma and a subtle vanilla flavour that is extremely pleasant. I could see this being delicious for breakfast, lightly toasted with just a pat of butter… or even a dollop of custard. A Christmassy breakfast for the books.Weight: 750gOrigin: ItalyDried fruit? YesM&S Collection Chocolate & Stem Ginger PanettoneKate Ng/The Standard★★★★☆Best: Flavoured panettoneWhat we love: Balanced flavours combining dark chocolate and ginger, and great for those who prefer less sweet dessertsTake note: May not work for everybodyWhen I heard about M&S’s new Chocolate & Stem Ginger Panettone, I was immediately intrigued. Cherry and pistachio seem to have dominated this year’s flavoured panettones, so this felt different and exciting. Part of the M&S Collection range, it comes in a vibrant, design-forward tin, as does the Nocciolato Panettone, which is closer to a traditional panettone but topped with a hazelnut crust. Both tins are gorgeously colourful and immensely collectable.The panettone is much darker than most I tested, thanks to the dark chocolate running through the bread. It’s beautiful and shiny, with a grand dome rising from its case, and smells chocolatey from the outset. Initially, I wasn’t sure the flavour combination worked. The dark chocolate and tender stem ginger pieces might seem almost savoury, as the bread itself isn't particularly sweet. But this is a panettone that grows on you. The flavours are complex, combining the slight bitterness and nuttiness of dark chocolate with the sweet zing and warmth of candied ginger. The bread is slightly dry, perhaps because of the chocolate content, but retains a satisfying fluffiness and squish. It's an ideal dessert for anyone who's had their fill of sweet treats over the festive period.Weight: 1kgOrigin: ItalyDried fruit? YesAldi Chocolate PanettoneKate Ng★★★★★Best: Non-fruited panettoneWhat we love: Deliciously moist bread with loads of chocolate chipsTake note: Not available to order onlineAt this point, I was feeling a bit sceptical about chocolate panettone. Many were too dry or didn’t pair well with the traditional flavours of panettone – which came as a surprise to me, considering chocolate usually pairs well with raisins or sultanas, such as in a Cadbury Fruit and Nut bar, and with citrus, like a Terry’s Chocolate Orange. Apart from the M&S Chocolate & Stem Ginger Panettone, I wondered if maybe there just isn’t such a thing as a good chocolate panettone. But Aldi really proved me wrong with this delicious, fluffy panettone that was brimming with little dark chocolate chips.Straight out of the box, it looks golden and lovely with a beautiful rounded dome, and felt quite heavy – I found that other panettones that felt distinctly light in weight turned out to be disappointingly dry. Aldi’s offering had a lovely, fluffy texture that was equally lovely and squishy when pressed, and it felt very rich. The small dark chocolate chips, made with Fairtrade cocoa, seemed to really work to balance out the sweetness of the bread, which filled the room with a pleasing orangey-chocolatey aroma. With no dried fruit, it will also be a hit among raisin haters.Weight: Origin: ItalyDried fruit? No Sous Chef Amareno CherryKate Ng/The Standard★★★★★Best: Panettone for giftingWhat we love: Wonderful balance of sweet and sour, and great for sharingTake note: Likely to sell out quicklyThis glorious panettone was Nigella Lawson’s top pick last year, and it’s easy to see why. Like Sous Chef’s traditional panettone, it comes beautifully wrapped in colourful paper and a yellow ribbon, completely gift-ready. At 1kg, it’s one of the heaviest we tested, and while just shy of £30, it offers plenty of bang for your buck. Wide rather than tall, it makes an impressive centrepiece – or a decadent dessert that’s equally delicious for breakfast. Ask me how I know…The bread is light and fluffy, and pulling it apart reveals just how tender it is. It looks like brioche but tastes much richer, with a deep yellow interior that showcases the egg yolk content. There’s plenty of fruit, including big, juicy dark Italian cherries, but it never feels heavy. Instead, the cherries provide bursts of tangy delight, balancing the sweetness with sharper notes. It’s hard to fault this panettone, although I suppose it could be 1.5kg so I can eat more. It will probably sell out quickly, so get your hands on one before I press ‘Order’ on another.Weight: 1kgOrigin: ItalyDried fruit? YesGail’s Classic Sourdough PanettoneKate Ng/The Standard★★★★☆Best: Showstopper panettoneWhat we love: Really huge and tall – an impressive centrepiece with a light textureTake note: A little eggy in flavourThis came in an impressively large box, which is surprising considering it weighs in at just 500g, making it one of the lightest panettones (in terms of weight) we tested. Also, unlike most of the other panettones, it is produced for Gail’s by Boogie Lab in Zagreb, Croatia – this is a renowned bakery that is famed for its artisan panettone. My first remark about this creation was how tall it stood, with a high dome, and it felt heavy despite being a lower weight. The top is studded with whole almonds, and it is slightly sticky, as though covered in a very light syrup or glaze.Inside, the bread is so fluffy and enriched, although with a slightly drier crumb than I expected – although looking back, this might explain its high rise yet low weight. But it was a major hit in my household, being delightfully squishy and tearable, with a very traditional citrus-and-vanilla flavour. The raisins, candied lemons and oranges are distributed evenly throughout the dough, which had a much eggier flavour compared to the other panettones I tested. I was a little surprised by this but not put off. It’s certainly a showstopper that wouldn’t look out of place at a Christmas party, and I can foresee everyone getting their fingers sticky with glee.Weight: 500gOrigin: CroatiaDried fruit? YesEataly Panettone Cioccolato Bianco e Crema Al PistachioKate Ng/The Standard★★★★☆Best: Non-traditional panettoneWhat we love: Trend-forward with a nutty, delicious pistachio cream for added luxuryTake note: May be too sweet for someI was suspicious of white chocolate in an already sweet bread – while I’m a fan, I find it can sometimes be cloying. But Eataly has struck a lovely balance with this impressive panettone. It’s a little pale, but has a high, rounded dome and striking yellow interior, showcasing its rich butter and egg yolk content. The slightly squishy, pull-apart texture is lovely, and it smells warm and almost caramelised, although it lacks panettone’s signature citrus scent. With no dried fruit, it’s another great option for fruit haters.The white chocolate comes in small chips, so there’s some in every bite. They seem to have caramelised slightly during baking, adding interest to an otherwise subtly flavoured bread, which tastes mostly of vanilla. But the real star is the accompanying 150g jar of pistachio creme, designed to be slathered onto each slice. Deeply nutty, it works wonderfully with the white chocolate, balancing each bite. At almost £40, it’s the most expensive panettone we tested, but a wonderful sharing treat that even the most ardent panettone hater will warm to.Weight: 900gOrigin: ItalyDried fruit? NoWhat is the best panettone for Christmas 2026?The absolute best panettones of 2026 undoubtedly come from Sous Chef, a retailer I would love to keep to myself because they are such brilliant purveyors of fine food – but I must share these rich, luxurious breads with you because they really deserve the fanfare. Sainsbury’s and Aldi have also done well with their budget options, one of which has no dried fruit in it and is great proof that a chocolate panettone can indeed be squishy and moist. Meanwhile, for some more luxurious options, Gail’s and Eataly have brilliant showstopping panettones – and best of all, every single one of these is perfect for gifting.Why trust me?Kate Ng has been reviewing kitchen appliances, cookware and food products over the last five years for major publications, including The Independent and Yahoo UK. She tests everything in her own kitchen and home, making sure they are suitable for everyday life.